


Love For A Lifetime

by kaelyngrey



Category: GOT7, 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Angst, Bonding, F/M, Forgiveness, M/M, Multi, New Friendships, Other, Rekindled Romance, Romance, the love to fill the void
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-09
Updated: 2018-01-09
Packaged: 2019-03-02 12:48:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 16,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13318449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaelyngrey/pseuds/kaelyngrey
Summary: Mark Tuan has loved Somang Kelly since he was 14 years old.  Even after all the time that has passed he loves her still.  He is willing to do anything in his power to find her and confess to her that his heart has yet to let her go.





	1. Chapter 1

Mark Tuan was not a man of very many words, and when he did speak, everyone paid attention to the things he had to say.  Besides being a mostly introverted being, Mark was very thoughtful towards others, and fiercely protective of those he knew best.  It was what made him so easy to love, and loved he was.  Of course he had the love of his family, and his band mates, and his friends...even his fans all over the world...but the one love he didn't have was the one he wanted most of all.

Mark had met the girl of his dreams when he was just 14 years old.  There she was, standing on the beach all alone, the sun setting in front of her, and Mark was gone.  He approached her cautiously, staring out into the sunset as she tried to discreetly wipe the tears from her face.  He didn't say anything to her then, but offered her a friendly smile before turning and walking back to his party.  A few days later he saw her in the halls of the high school he went to, looking once again dejected, and decided to approach.

"New here?" he asked from behind the schedule she had held in front of her face.  "I'm Mark.  If you need any help."

The girl slowly lowered her schedule and temporarily seemed to lose her senses before shaking herself back into reality.

"So---Somang," she managed softly.

"Somang," Mark repeated with a crooked smile.  "Pretty."

Somang just blushed and hung her head so that her long black hair would hide her face.

Over the next several days Mark made it a point to get to know Somang better.  He memorized her schedule, walked her to classes when he could, and offered to join her for lunch on Tuesdays when he had free time.  They bonded almost immediately over the fact that they had both moved a lot, and Mark was sure to introduce her to the 'better part' of his friends.

By Fall Break, Mark and Somang were the best of friends.  Even though she was a grade behind, he would still take time to help her with her homework, make sure she knew all the great places to eat, and often drug her to the skate park or the beach to keep him company.  They shared late night text messages, and unspoken jokes, and secret fears in the dead of night when no one else was around.

When fall turned to winter, and winter turned to spring, Somang's father began talking orders to move again, and she called Mark at 2 am asking if they could run away and never look back.  Mark of course talked her out of it and as spring turned to summer Somang was still around.

For Somang's 13th birthday Mark built her a bonfire on the beach and gave her a twinkie with a candle and for the first time ever, sang out loud to wish her happy birthday.  It was the best day either of them had ever had.  They spent the entire night laying on the sand watching the stars, and repeated most of their summer break in much the same fashion.

The next school year repeated in much the same fashion as the last, but gravity seemed to pull the two even closer together and by mid-term it was the unspoken agreement of everyone they knew that the two were going steady.  Mark buckled down on his studies, and found a dance crew to hook up with and Somang found herself steadily standing in the middle of a group of fangirls that grew and grew as Mark reached out in his creativity and self expression.

As her second year in L.A. came to an end Somang developed a false sense of security in her surroundings and began to believe that she would be safe in her little three bedroom home until she could set out on her own.  Three days before the start of her junior year, her father received orders to ship out to some place new and Somang was left grounded.  Just when she had settled in to friends, and school, and maybe a boyfriend, it had all been ripped away because someone she didn't even know had told them they would have to move again.  She cried that life could be so cruel.

Somang broke it off with Mark on the beach where they had first met, reasoning that they would never see each other once they moved, but promising him that through phone calls and emails and texts and letters, they could stay the best of friends.  Mark just nodded, his expression dark and his eyes sad.  He understood better than most.

Giving her a kiss on the forehead he promised to never change his number and to contact her in one way or another at least once a day.  They both shed tears and before either one of them was ready. Somang was gone.

* * *

Mark did keep good on his word for a while.  He texted her several times a day for six months straight talking about this and that and life in general, and eagerly replied to the texts and emails he got from her as well.  In August of the year she turned 15 Mark sent her an email telling her he had won some kind of audition and he was moving to Korea to train, but he didn't give her very many details and after a very clipped message she did not hear from him for a week.  

Daily emails turned in to sporadic messages, no written letters and tons of 'I'm sorry but's.  Almost a year and a half after they had said their goodbyes, Somang heard from Mark no more.  She tried not to be sad, and she tried not to let it get personal, but he had been her best friend and she thought that she had been his.

Over the next two years Somangs life took a couple of wicked twists and turns and did a nose dive once or twice and she found herself digging deeper in to music to keep her sane.  She had long ago tried to forget about the boy who had stolen her heart and ran away, but sadly it seemed, fate did not want it to be so.  Flipping through youtube one day she came across a clip of a new survival show and as she eyed the thumbnail, every painful shard in her heart gave a sick and twisted new turn.

Mark Tuan was alive and well.


	2. Chapter 2

Marks life had been non stop ever since Somang had moved away.  With his best friend gone he had thrown himself in to the dance crew he was in, and had become a sort of bad boy on the outside.  In 2010 he had gone with a friend to a dance audition and had ended up earning a spot to train with a top entertainment agency in Korea.  Only problem was...he didn't speak the language.  Deciding to throw caution to the wind, Mark packed his bags, hopped the plane, and started a brand new chapter in his life.

 

Three years later the only regret he had was that he had thrown Somang away.  In the midst of trying to keep up with training, and learning new skills; his education...non stop assessments...Mark didn't even have time for himself.  Now he was realizing a dream he hadn't even known he had had and the only person he wanted to share it with was no where to be found.  He could kick himself.  He tried every email, every number, every lead he had, but all of it was to no avail.  Somang had disappeared.

* * *

2014 saw Mark everywhere and nowhere at all.  He experienced things he would remember for a life time, and formed some of the strongest bonds he would ever have with another human being when he committed to a lifetime of being a member of GOT7.  Jackson was probably his best friend out of all of them, but JB understood his silence, and Bam Bam made him laugh.  For a while they even eased the pain in his chest and filled the spot that cried out for the girl he had left behind.  They helped him to realize he was in no position for a girlfriend or the distraction it would bring, and the nasty breakup that JB went through showed Mark that the only person who would be hurt was Somang.  JB's girlfriend had done absolutely nothing wrong except for being entirely too understanding to the situation that all of them were in.  It caused a huge rift within the group.  JB and Jackson didn't speak to eachother for almost half the year.

Mark blinked it seemed, and 2015 was gone with the end of 2016 fast approaching.  His group had thousands of fans world wide, he had a career that he loved, and everyone was slowly settling in to the life they had made for themselves.  Each member had ventured out in to solo projects and the group was preparing to release their new album in the next year.  Still...Mark missed Somang more than anything and he wondered if she missed him too.

"You have to find her, Mark," said a soft voice from beside him.  "You'll never know if you do not try and...you're driving yourself mad.  Everyone sees it.  We're worried about you."

Mark turned sharply in shock and spluttered at the girl by his side.

"You still talk in your sleep," she said, looking him straight in the eye.  "Promise me you will find her."

"I..."  Mark just looked at the girl again.  "I'm not even sure where to begin."

The girl nodded in understanding.

"A wanted poster probably  _would_  be too much," she said as she laughed lightly which caused Mark to give a slight smile.

"There he is," she said, her smile growing wider.  "I hear JB is  _excellent_  in finding girls he drove off," she said, her tone matter of fact.  "I hear he is  _equally_  as awesome at heart felt apologies and explanations.  I'm sure he would be more than willing to help you out."

"Why  _did_  you take him back?" Mark asked as his gaze searched over her.

"Because I know he didn't mean it," she said.  "Because I know that he was scared, and overwhelmed, and felt like he needed to protect me.  I guess for a moment he forgot that I can protect myself.  I have stayed hidden all these years have I not?"

Mark could only nod in agreement.

"We'll figure something out, okay?  We will help you find her."

"Thank you," Mark said softly.

"That's what family's for," the girl said before she turned and walked away, already formulating a plan in her head to help the man she considered a brother ease his pain.

 

* * *

Somang too had been thinking of Mark all these long years.  She had followed him on social media, youtube, any where she could watch him flourish and grow.  Her heart sang for him, but the voice in the back of her head had always wondered if he had realized he was too good for her and simply cut ties and ran.  Several times she had considered reaching out to him but...she guessed her letter would just be lost in the never ending pile of fan mail she assumed they received.  Forcing him like always to the back of her mind, she continued on with her life, which, at the moment, was consumed with moving to a newer apartment since the one she had been living in had burnt to the ground while she was away. 

* * *

Six months more passed, and all of Mark's friends had been working behind the scenes to find the girl that haunted Mark's dreams, but nothing had yet come to a head.  JB's girlfriend had worked her magic to start monitoring concerts and fan events, and it had gotten to the point where 99% of the time she had the name of every concert goer in attendance.  It had been her brilliant idea to mandate giveaways and special fan prizes at each function they did, and as such, names and seat numbers were required. 

* * *

On one of the last days of their concert, Kaelyn had to contain her scream as a staff member came to her holding a sheet of paper with a highlighted name.  Somang Kelly rang out from the page like a beacon of hope.  Surely in all this time they had been searching with no luck...surely this was the one.  

Grabbing the paper and running up the hall, she burst into the dressing room, thankful Mark was on stage doing a check.

"I found her!" she shrieked which caused the others to jump in surprise and look at her.

"Found who?" Jackson asked, sounding slightly annoyed.

"Her!" Kaelyn said.  "Somang!  She's here!"

The boys looked at one another in shock before looking back at the girl in the doorway.

"Positive?" JB asked.

"How many Somang Kelly's can there be in this world?" she asked, her head tilted to one side.

Bam Bam walked up and took the paper from Kaelyn looking at it intently.  He had to admit the girl had had a crazy but brilliant plan.

"How are we gonna get them to meet?" he asked as he continued to look at the paper.

Kaelyn chewed her lip for a moment before reaching in her back pocket and pulling out her companion ticket for the night.

"I think Miss Kelly is in the wrong seat," she said, holding up her ticket.  "Nose bleed isn't where she needs to be."

"Who are we going to send after her?" Youngjae asked, looking unsure.

"Me?" Kaelyn said as if she were the obvious choice.

"No!" JB said in objection.

"Why not?" Kaelyn asked.  "Too many people know about this already and I can't send any of you.  Besides.  It's my ticket.  This execution has to be flawless or we might miss our chance.  We owe this much to Mark.  And I can blend.  No one's caught me out yet.  I look like any other fan.  I promise."

The boys looked at the girl before them, one they considered their other half (in JB's case), their sister, and their friend.  She had been so selfless from the go, and even though she was capable of standing on her own, they had always felt the need to protect her.  She had given up her life for JB.  Devoted every moment she had to be anything he had needed her to be.  Even when he had so cruelly left her she had supported him on the sides, and when he realized she was the burning pain in his chest, she had cautiously taken him back, promising to never let him go.

"What's your cover?" Jinyoung asked.

"Contest winner," Kaelyn said with ease.  "Package upgrade and participation in the onstage activities.  I'll have her written on Marks card."

The other boys nodded in approval of Kaelyn's plan, not able to find fault in it.

 

Somang had taken some of her insurance payout from the fire and splurged on the cheapest ticket she could find for the GOT7 concert the next town over.  She had convinced herself that if she only saw Mark once, even from very far away, she would be able to let him go.  Knowing the routine of these events she arrived early in the day to queue and was surprised when she was handed a questionaire which she filled out with very little thought and turned back in to the table that had been set up.  Once she was let in she climbed her very long way to the top most row of seats, claiming hers and looking around the venue, taking in it's impressive size and seating arrangement. 

* * *

Kaelyn had slipped into a 'STAFF' shirt she kept for situations such as these, clipped a radio to her belt, and donned a black snap back, making sure she looked like some random worker before heading out and making her way to the very top of the arena. 50 million steps later she approached the end of Somangs row and stared at her while she tried to remember how to breathe.

"Somang Kelly?" she asked loud enough for the girl to hear.

Somang turned her head at hearing her name to see a girl in a 'STAFF' shirt standing at the end of her aisle.

"Somang Kelly?" the girl asked again, surprisingly not butchering the name.

"Yes?" Somang asked, feeling slightly worried.

Kaelyn gave the girl a soft smile and held up the manilla envelope she had prepared earlier.

"I'm assuming the attendants didn't tell you there would be a contest based off of the survey you filled out?" she asked.

Somang shook her head in confusion as she took more of the girl in.

"These are your new tickets," Kaelyn said, extending the envelope towards Somang.  "You won!  So if you will please grab your belongings, I will escort you to your appropriate seat before the concert begins."

Somang stood slowly to accept the envelope which included V.I.P. tickets and a 'stage' voucher, whatever that was.

"You'll be in the friends and family section with the other contest winners," the worker explained.  "Make sure you keep your stage ticket and when we call for the winners from tonights contest to come to the stage you will hand that to the guard at the steps and make your way onto the stage from the left and sit in the seat beside Mr. Tuan."

Somang kept staring at the girl, something in the picture not adding up.  This girl was definately not Korean, or of any Asian descent, yet here she was, speaking like she had lived in Seoul her entire life, and navigating the instructions of this concert like she had written them herself.

"Any questions?" the girl asked as she arrived at the appointed section, turning to look at Somang.

Somang slowly shook her head as she tried to process everything, and as the girl walked away, it hit her like a ton of bricks.  She would be on stage with Mark Tuan, the man who stole her heart and disappeared like the thief that he was.


	3. Chapter 3

Kaelyn gave the boys only a passing glance as she walked in to the back stage area, flashing her badge at the gate, a signal that her part of the task was complete.  It would be up to the six that were in the know to make sure Mark didn't kick in to fight or flight.  She almost felt sorry about leaving him in the dark.  Perhaps he  _should_  be prepared for what was to come.  Then again...there were no promises that this was the right Somang Kelly.  Taking her seat in the waiting area away from screaming fans, and now suspicious eyes, Kaelyn shed the 'STAFF' shirt and curled up on the couch to watch the concert on the TV in front of her. 

* * *

Everyone but Mark seemed incredibly tense, but they all just flashed their pearly whites whenever he asked them what was wrong.  Maybe it had been the food?  Mark had been sick that day and had stayed away from the catering and backstage snacks.  Checking his in ear, and popping his collar the way he liked it, he took a breath as he took his spot on the lift, the countdown to concert at just under 5 minutes.  All the boys shouted out their various good luck sayings, everyone stealing subtle glances at Mark before the stage doors open and the lifts propelled them up and in to position.

The first half of the concert went off without a hitch, but everyone except for Mark kept looking at the friends and family section like they were looking for someone which Somang found odd because it didn't appear that anyones family was there for them.  The whole section appeared to be filled with fellow contest winners and fans only.  

Somang had not been able to take her eyes off of him, and being this close had caused her chest to hurt in ways it had not hurt in years.  How would she survive going on stage?  What if she broke down?  What if she refused?  Surely any other fan would be honored to take her place.  But if she did not go, how much would she regret?  Here she finally had a chance to let him go once and for all, on terms of her own.  Even if he did not remember her (and honestly, why would he?), she thought of him almost every waking moment of the day, or when her nightmares woke her with her screams.  

Lost in her thoughts she barely caught that the stage had been set for the fan service part and that they were calling for the stage winners to join GOT7 in the set up seats.  Fans everywhere screamed and cheered in jealousy and congrats as Somang and 6 other lucky ladies handed their tickets to the guard and walked up the stairs and to the seats they had previously been assigned.  She did not once fail to notice the 7 pairs of eyes that bore in to her as if trying to gain access to her soul, or the way that for just a moment, Mark's mask slipped, and recognition rocked his world. 

* * *

Mark had been over the concert since the second song in.  He didn't want to be here, or interact with fans, or be human really.  It was Somangs birthday and she had been heavy on his mind since he had woke.  When he saw her walking across the stage towards him, he felt his knees buckle and his jaw unhinge and he had to grab on to the seat beside him for support.  He was dreaming or...he had died and this was his judgement day.

"So..."

Mark put his microphone on the seat in front of him and tried to get his brain to work.

"Somang?" he asked, forcing a smile back on his face for the watching fans.

Somang forced herself to walk up to the seat on front of him and gave him a polite smile and a small bow.  Her name had probably been written on one of his cards.

"Mark," she said, giving him a soft smile.

Mark wanted to die.  He wanted to pull her close to him and beg her for forgiveness.  To explain all of the things that he had seen and heard that had caused him to push her out of his life.  To apologize to her and to show her just how wrong he had been.  To tell her all the feelings he had really had for her since the first time they had met, and to ask her to understand how much of a coward he had been.  He wanted her to know that he did not expect her to remember him, or to give him the light of day because of what he had done, but that he had thought of nothing else since she had walked out of his life that day.  He wanted to know if she was dying on the inside too.

Mark shook his head to come back to his senses and sat down, smoothly joining the games and making sure to engage Somang at the appropriate times.  He deflected and adjusted questions flawlessly based on the comfort levels he remembered her having, and his smile seemed to be more genuine in that moment than it had been in months.  When the game was over, and all of the other fans were hugging their oppas, Mark gently pulled Somang close, and leaned his head against her own.

"Happy Birthday," he whispered, lingering for just a moment longer before pulling back and looking her in the eye.

That was DEFINATELY not written on a card.  That meant...

"You...remember?" she asked, her jaw going slack.

Mark just gave her a soft crooked smile, and Somang was directed off the stage and back to her seat.  The rest of the concert went by in a blur and all that Somang could think about was how Mark had not only recognized her on stage, but had obviously remembered enough to realize the day.  The pain in her chest hurt even worse. 

* * *

As the ending ments were coming to a close, Somang decided to leave the crowd so that she would have an easier time getting out but once again she was stopped by the girl in the 'STAFF' shirt and snapback, which was a different one than the one she wore before.

The girl said nothing, but motioned towards the exit doors with her head, before slowly walking out into the entrance then down a side hall and back into a hidden corridor, making sure Somang had followed all the way.

"Mr. Tuan asked me to pass you a message," she said, this time in English, holding out a small slip of paper.  "And I ask that you  _please_  do not lose that."

The paper turned out to be a phone number in Marks classic chicken scratch.

Somang was confused.  The girl just shifted in the silence.

"This  _really_ isn't my place," she said softly, "but he's missed you a lot and...I know he wants a chance to explain himself...why he did what he did..."

Somang looked up at the girl, even more confused.  Who was she to be trusted with Marks number?  How did she know what he was feeling?  What if this was a prank?  Or a trap?

"I would take you back stage so you could talk to him tonight but...there are too many cameras and too many eyes and his flight to L.A. leaves at 2 so..."

The girl chewed on her lip much in the same way the boys did...a nervous habit she had adopted from catering to them.

"Who are you?" Somang asked, her eyes narrowed.

Kaelyn looked at Somang for several long seconds, obviously searching for something in her expression.

"I'm JB's person," she said, knowing if Somang had ever truly meant anything to Mark, she would understand the reference.

Once upon a time, not so very long ago, Somang had been Mark's person, and he had been hers.


	4. Chapter 4

The radio on the girls side started buzzing like crazy which caused her to look at her watch.

"I have to go," she said.

"I'm sorry.  And...please consider...everything," she said before giving a small bow and taking off down a different hallway, leaving Somang lost in her thoughts. 

* * *

Four hours later Somang arrived home, and, reasoning that Mark would be on his flight, she laid the piece of paper on her desk and went to bed herself.  Three days later the paper was still laying exactly where she had placed it, untouched, and forcibly forgotten.

_"He's missed you a lot.  Please..."_

Those words woke Somang from a deep sleep, confused for once by the nightmare she had had.  Looking at the clock, and realizing there would be no going back to sleep, Somang slowly climbed from her bed, podded to the kitchen, put on some coffee, and picked up the number to stare at it.  What would she even say?  How would she address him?  Would he even answer?  Where was he?  What time was it for him?  She couldn't answer any of it.  Heaving a sigh, she retrieved a cup of coffee and moved to her back porch, curling up in her favorite chair and waiting for the sun to rise.  When the sun finally began to paint the sky, she picked up the number, and with a huge amount of fear, dialed the number and held her breath as she counted the rings.

* * *

Mark's head had no sooner hit the pillow when his phone began to ring.  Reluctantly opening his eye, he saw a number he did not recognize, and for a moment he considered not answering.

"Hello?" he asked as politely as he could, his voice worn and rough.

Somang almost dropped the phone when someone answered.

"Hello?" Mark asked again, just a bit louder.

Somang didn't have any words, but she knew if she did not say something, she would lose her only chance.

"How...how did you find me?" she asked, going with the first thing that came to her mind.

"Somang?" Mark asked, sitting straight up in bed at his shock.  "Is...is that you?"

"How did you find me?" Somang asked again.

"I..."  Mark took a deep breath and let it out slowly.  "Stalkwardly," he said, sounding almost ashamed.

Somang smiled at that.  She hadn't heard another person use that word in years.

"M sorry," came Marks voice from the other end.  "For...everything."

He didn't even know where to begin, and this wasn't a conversation he wanted to have over the phone.

"I would ask you why but..." Somang began.

"I was scared," Mark said, taking over the end of her sentence.  "I jumped in head first and...I didn't understand what I had gotten myself in to and...  "I missed you," he said, foregoing every excuse he had come up with in his head.  "I still miss you.  Every day.  Every waking moment.  Even in my dreams.  I miss you, Somang."

"You left," she said in to the phone, hating the insecurity that came out in her tone.

"I know," Mark said softly.

"Why?" she asked.

Mark was silent for a few more breaths than it should have taken.

"I want to tell you everything but..."  He heaved a sigh.  "The phone is not the place to do it and..."  He would never not make time for her, so he quit the sentence before he said something he would regret.  "Where are you living now?" he asked instead.

"Incheon," Somang said.

"I'll be back in Seoul in a week," he said.  "I'll even come to you if you want.  I just...I need to see you again."

Somang hesitated for a moment.

"I don't know..." she said, sounding unsure.

"Please?" he breathed, sounding desperate.

"Just...just one time and...  Just this once and you will never have to see me again.  I promise.  I won't text, or call, or anything if you don't want me to..."

Somang could hear the color of his pain in his voice.  

"I'll let you know," Somang said.  "Just...text me when you get back and...we'll figure it out then, hm?"

"I'm sorry," Mark said again before disconnecting the call. 

* * *

Eight days later Mark sent a text letting Somang know that he was back, and had a few hours sleep under his belt if she wanted to meet.  Somang read the text, and then let it sit, still undecided of what she wanted to do.  This Mark was not the same Mark she had left behind.  While they looked the same, and spoke in the same way, this Mark was more outgoing than that Mark.  This Mark had fans all over the world; fans that could be vicious and over-protective.  That Mark had only had a small troupe of fan girls who had known from the start that his heart belonged only to Somang.  That Mark had the ability to drop everything at a hat and run to her when she needed him the most.  This Mark was bound tightly by a schedule made by someone else.  That Mark could lay on the beach and stare at the stars all night.  This Mark would be mugged simply walking out the front door.  Did she really want to deal with all of that?  

'Not really,' she decided.  'Not today.'

Somang kept that same train of thought for the next 4 days, steadily ignoring Mark's texts, begging her to meet him, until on day 6 he let her know that after today, he would not text her again, and that he had commandeered a friends flat for the day, where he would remain all day, alone, waiting for her to come.

Heaving a sigh and reading the address, Somang decided that she would, for closures sake, go to this flat that some poor person had been kicked out of, to meet Mark, and to explain to him, in very simple terms, that the past was the past, and that is where he would remain.  As long as her heart and brain remained in agreement. 

* * *

Two hours later, and without announcing herself, Somang was delivered by taxi to a swank looking building in the expensive part of Seoul.  Naturally.

Typing in the passcode to the front door, and then the elevator, Somang rode to the 5th floor, and exited the elevator to find only one door on the whole floor.  Taking a deep breath, Somang gathered herself in front of said door, then knocked, and held her breath once more as she waited for someone to answer.

* * *

Mark had been pacing the mostly empty living room, waiting, hoping, and praying that Somang would come.  When the doorbell sounded, he almost jumped out of his skin, and slid across the hardwood floors in an attempt to reach it quicker.  Pausing to compose himself, Mark took a deep breath and answered the door, a small smile appearing when he saw Somang.

"I didn't think you were coming," he said softly.

"I wasn't," Somang said, trying to keep her heart in check with the decision her mind had already made.  

Mark nodded at that, trying not to look wounded, and failing.

"Come on in," he said, stepping to the side to reveal his home for the day.

The house looked more like a photoshoot site than an actual home.  There was a coffee table, a modest wrap around couch, a decent sound system, and a flat screen t.v.  No other decor or homey touches were to be found, and Somang briefly wondered who lived here.

"The person who lives here says they aren't home enough to worry about decorating it," Mark said, immediately reading her thoughts.

Somang nodded and turned to look at him.

"What do you want?" she asked, trying to remain cold.

"A second try," Mark said.  "Can I get you a drink or...something to eat?" 

Somang just shook her head, and Mark nodded.

"Living room or patio?" he asked instead.

"Here is fine," Somang said.  She did not intend to stay long.

"Somang..."

"You left me," she said, deciding to stand up for herself.  "You sent me one last half-assed text that said sorry you had to go, and that was the last time I heard from you!  And now here out of the blue you've tracked me down like some weird stalker and suddenly you want to hold hands and talk about our feelings?"

Mark cringed.

"It isn't like that," he said softly, that night scarred into his memory.

"I just...  A lot of stuff happened and...  I got scared and...  I almost lost everything..."

Somang barked a cold laugh.

"But it was okay to lose me?" she asked, sounding hurt.

"No!" Mark said as his head jerked up.  "It isn't like that, Babygirl!" he said, not even realizing he had used his nickname for her.  "It's..."

Mark grabbed his hair in his hands and pulled in frustration.  He wasn't sure how much of the story he should tell...or what parts of it he could.

"Someone I care a lot about almost died that night," he said softly, his back to her.  "Someone I respect a lot was hurting.  I was hurting.  All of us..."

He knew he made no sense, but he didn't know where to begin.  J.B. had been kept out of the news when it all went down.  How, none of them knew, but he was thankful he had.

"There was a car wreck...about a year before we debuted," Mark said, turning to her.  "Jaebumah had snuck out after practice to...see someone and...on their way back to her hotel...their taxi was hit by a drunk driver.  It was..."

Mark closed his eyes as images of his friend covered in blood flashed before his eyes.

"J.B. broke his leg.  He had to have surgery.  They thought he might never walk again.  Kaelyn..."  Mark shook his head.  "Both of her parents had come out to meet J.B.  Her mother died on impact they said.  Her father died in surgery.  She was in hospital for over a year.  "Everyone was so worried about our group, and getting Jaebumah better...but nobody worried about her...  And when J.B. finally got back on his feet and went to visit Kaelyn...  He felt like he had failed her, and he had no way to protect her so...he left her.  We almost broke up over that.  I don't think I've ever seen Jackson so mad.  When he found out...we thought he had broken J.B.'s jaw.  They didn't speak for the rest of the year.  We decided as a unit we wouldn't date...or talk to girls outside of work.  By then...I had hoped that you had forgotten me..."

Mark finally looked at Somang.

"But we all came to our senses.  J.B. begged Kae to come back, and...obviously she did but...I had already lost you.  I tried...everything...to find you.  The survey was Kae's idea.  That is what worked in the end.  I had no idea they had even found you until you came walking up on stage.  I almost died.  But you acted like you didn't even know me.  I was crushed inside.  And...I know that I have...no right to ask you this but...I don't think I can lose you again, Babygirl.  I refuse.  You're  _my_  person.  No one else can have you.  Ever.  And...I will do whatever it takes to protect you.  To keep you happy.  Just  _please..._ give me a second chance?"

Mark reached out for Somang, taking her hand and carressing it gently, his head hung as he tried to hide the tears that had escaped his traitorous eyes.

"I don't...I don't think I can go back to a time without you," he said, his voice thick from the emotions he felt.  "I don't even want to try..."


	5. Chapter 5

Somang felt like she had been slapped in the face with it all.  Her brain was fighting to stay strong, but her heart was hurting for the man before her, and for people she hadn't even met.  

"I don't know," she said again.

It was a lot to take in.

"Just be my friend at least?" Mark tried, desperate to have any kind of connection at all to the girl his heart had longed for all this time.

"We don't even have to hang out.  Just...answer my random text messages and...weirdly timed phone calls and...cryptic voicemails...  And accept the fact that sometimes I will be so busy that I lose myself and...be okay with the fact that I'm always thinking of you..."

"I don't think I can," Somang said honestly.

As much as it hurt her to say, she knew that it was true.  When it brought Mark to his knees, his head in his hands, and his back heaving from the emotions he was trying to keep in check, she wondered if she could make a concession just for him, whatever damage done to her be damned.  

"I love you," he said, his voice a raging storm as the confession tore it's way from his brain, his last desperate attempt to get her to stay. 

* * *

Somang had just collapsed at that admission.  It wasn't something she had ever been told before.  Not like that.  It brought her to her knees and shot her pain for the day to a 12.  It was blinding...hot...almost unbearable.  The tears that assaulted her cheeks felt like acid on her skin, and her lungs felt raw as they struggled to draw in air.

Some time later she would come back to herself and realize that she must have fallen asleep, seemingly curled up in Marks arms.  As she came out of the fog of her dream (which was very weird all things considered) she was momentarily startled to not recognize her surroundings.  Sitting up more and moving off of Mark, she carefully crept to the balcony door, sliding out of it and letting the cool air bring her to her senses.  Thinking back on the day she tried to find a grounding point, but the more she thought of it, the more confused she became.  There were a thousand different variables and she could not account for a single one.  Her brain knew exactly what she needed to do, but her heart was begging her to go the other way.  Second chances were her thing, after all, and really, what had Mark done to not deserve one?

He had left her, yes.  High and dry?  Completely.  Barged back into her life without permission, no doubt.  Broken her heart?  Her pillow knew that story all too well.  But in all fairness, she had been the one to walk away.  He had probably struggled to fill a void, and it just so happened the fruits of his labor were greater than he had imagined.  But while he made a seemingly innocent request, the repercussions would be immense.  Being friends with Mark Tuan would probably be okay.  Being friends with Mark from GOT7 was something unimaginable.  He was an idol.  He was everywhere at once.  In very high demand, with a terrifying fanbase, dozens of people wanting his attention, and 6 bandmates who needed his undivided attention and...she was afraid of being pushed to the side again.  But...being friends would still be okay, wouldn't it?  Maybe the ache in her chest would diminish...  Maybe the terror in her night would be less...  Maybe she needed another leap of faith...  The rest of the group seemed to be able to make friends.  Maybe?  

'Normal friends', Somang thought. 

Jackson's friends were all famous.  Yugyeom's friend was a rising star.  Jinyoung's friends were all actors and actresses.  BamBam seemed to stay within the group unless he had any faceless friends back home.  Youngjae she had never really paid enough attention to.  And J.B...  J.B. had a person.   _Not_  a famous person.  Just...a person.  How had they made it work for so long?  Apparently they had been together for years, yet there was not a whisper of it anywhere.  

Somangs thoughts were disrupted by the sound of the front door opening and closing and as she turned she saw a figured clothed in all black creeping towards the bedroom and she wondered if the owner had returned.  Had Mark worn out his welcome?  Did the friend want their place back?  It was starting to get late.  Perhaps they wanted some rest?  Heading back into the livingroom to wake Mark, Somang saw the figure exit with a dufflebag. 

* * *

Kaelyn had run back to her forfeited house to grab a bag and go to a hotel.  She wasn't about to kick Mark out, but she wasn't about to displace anyone else.  She had hoped to get in and out without being detected.  When she saw Somang however, she came up short, staring at her for a few moments before giving her a slight bow.

"Hi," she said softly.

"Hi," Somang said back.

Kaelyn stood there for a few more moments, fidgeting uncomfortably.

"Will you tell him," she said, pointing to Mark, "that I just got a room for the night so...you two can stay and talk as long as you want."

"You live here?" Somang asked in surprise to which Kaelyn nodded.

"How do you know Mark?" Somang asked.

Kaelyn shifted her weight and used one hand to brush the hood off of her head, revealing the girl from the concert.

"You're..." Somang begin.

"J.B. oppas person..." Kaelyn said, shifting her eyes away from Somang and hoping she didn't come off rude.

Kaelyn had a real people problem, and new people tended to exacerbate her nerve condition.  

"Right," Somang said slowly.

"There's food in the fridge if you two get hungry," Kaelyn said, her words coming out awkwardly.

Usually she was fine talking with people, but meeting someone she had heard about for years and never seen had her thrown for a loop.

"You don't have to leave your home," Somang tried.

"It's okay," Kaelyn said.  "Mark-ah wouldn't ask if it wasn't important.  He's thoughtful like that."

Somang just nodded and the two turned their eyes to Mark as he shifted.

"I hope you two can come to an understanding," Kaelyn said, looking back at Somang.  "He's really a good guy.  The best.  I know he cares for you a lot."

Kaelyn gave one final bow, replaced her hood, and left the apartment, Somang standing in the middle of the room, even more confused than she had been when she woke.  

* * *

Mark woke ten minutes later to Somang raiding the kitchen for food.

"What time is it?" he asked as he padded into the kitchen, his brain struggling to function and his hair all over.

"Almost 6," Somang replied as she turned on the stove.

"Where's Kae?" Mark asked as he yawned and looked around.

"Hotel," Somang replied.

"You're still here?" Mark asked, looking back at Somang in surprise.

"Still here," she said, rolling her eyes where Mark couldn't see.

"Does that mean we can be friends?" he asked, trying not to sound hopeful, and failing.

Somang heaved a sigh as she turned around.

"I guess we can try," she said, feeling a little nervous with the agreement.

Mark's smile made it all worth it tho.  She had not seen him smile like that in a while.

"Good," he said.

"I swear to God if you hurt me I will kill you," she said, only half joking, and Mark just laughed.

"Not again, Babygirl," he said, and Somang had to stop herself from melting.

'Not again,' she thought to herself, and it made her smile.


	6. Chapter 6

The two of them stayed up until the sun rose the next day talking about everything and nothing.  Somang relayed some of her life story to him but mostly she listened to him talk about everything had been through since they had parted ways.  It seemed that neither of them had had it easy.

"What do you have planned for today?" Mark asked as he stood and stretched, a sliver of toned abs showing.

"Nothing," she said honestly.  "Might try to get ahead on some work.  You?"

Mark checked his phone and smiled.

"Radio interview," he said.  "We're wrapping up promotions and going on vacation."

"Where to?" Somang asked.

"No idea," Mark said with a laugh.  "The company booked it.  All they told us was to pack for warm weather and we could bring a friend."

Somang just hummed at the idea.

"How long will you be gone?" she asked.

"Three weeks," Mark said.

Somang hummed again.

"Come with me," Mark said, looking right at her.  "I have a companion ticket but I haven't asked anyone to go."

Somang made a face at that.

"I dunno..." she said, not really comfortable with the idea of being around other people, especially with her nightly issue.

"I'm sure you will have your own room..." Mark said.  "And I'm sure they'll have wifi so you can work...  Please?"

'Damn puppy dog eyes,' Somang thought.

"When are you leaving?" she asked, trying to sound disinterested.

"Nine days," Mark said, showing her the countdown on his phone.

"Who all is going?" she asked, trying to find an out and not be obvious about it.

Mark thought about that for a moment.

"Gyeomie is bringing a friend but he won't tell us who.  BamBam is bringing his sister, Youngjae is bringing a friend he went to school with, Jinyoung and Jackson are bringing eachother, J.B is bringing Kae, and then me, and one of our managers is coming so..."

"Why are Jinyoung and Jackson not bringing anyone?" Somang asked.

"All their friends are working," Mark said.  "And Jinyoung has a people thing so...  He'll probably just hole up somewhere."

"I don't know..." Somang said.  "I'm running just a little low on spending money from the move and everything."

"Just bring yourself," Mark said.  "I'll cover the rest."

"I don't have any clothes for warm weather..." she tried.

"I'll take you shopping this week," Mark returned.

"You can't go out in public like that," Somang countered.

"I'll give you my card."

"I hate shopping on my own."

"I'll send someone to go with you."

"I don't do well with strangers."

"Then find a friend."

"I..."

Somang realized she was stuck.  A carefree shopping spree would be nice (not that she wouldn't pay it back), and a free vacation would be a shame to turn down...and she had been the boring and responsible one since she had moved away from her parents but...

"Fine," she huffed.  "I hate you."

"No you don't," Mark said with a thousand watt smile.

* * *

After breakfast the two cleaned up, Mark throwing some money on the table, and departed for the front lobby where two cars were waiting, one to take Mark to his schedule and the other to take Somang home.

"I'll text you later with the shopping information," he said as he shut Somangs door.  "I'll even find you a friend."

Somang just rolled her eyes, and when the door was shut, let a smile slip onto her face.

* * *

That night she had received a text from Mark telling her a car would be to pick her up the next day with his card and a shopping buddy and to play nice and not worry about spending limits.  True enough at 10A.M. a car pulled up out front of her apartment and J.B.'s person got out to knock on her door.  Grabbing her keys and wallet, and sliding on her shoes, she answered the door just as the chimes of the doorbell ended.

"Kaelyn?" Somang asked, realizing the girl had never given her name.

Said girl blushed and nodded, pulling her hoodie off to reveal her face.

"Somang," she said as she shifted her weight.  "Markah sent me with his card," she said awkwardly.  "He said...you don't like shopping on your own?"

Mark did this shit on purpose, Kaelyn thought.  She  _hated_  shopping.  HATED IT!!!!  She wore the same style of clothes everywhere she went, mixed and matched her five shirts and five pairs of sweats, custom ordered her underwear from a catalog, had her shoes and accessories custom made by a company in the states, and her tank tops came from an anime cosplay company in Japan.  She went grocery shopping when no one else was sane enough to be in a store, and if she needed a gift for one of the boys she ordered it online.  Easy peasy.  Fucking Mark.  Why couldn't he accept her social skills for what they were...lacking.

Somang shifted as well, she could read this girl like a book already since she seemed to be a lot like her.

"I take it you do not like shopping at all?" she asked to which Kaelyn scrunched up her face and shook her head before remembering her manners.

"No..." she said, blushing again.

"Shall we get this torture over with then?" Somang asked, giving Kaelyn a small smile.

"Yes, please," Kaelyn said, returning the small smile.

Kaelyn opened the door for Somang, allowing her to climb in first before climbing in herself and shutting the door, pulling a card out of her pocket and extending it towards Somang with both hands, which at the moment, were sweater pawed.

"Mark said to go wild and he would handle it later," she said softly, drawing her hands back as soon as Somang took the card and shoving them back in her hoodie.

Somang wondered what the girls tick was, cause obviously she had one.  Germs, probably.  No wonder her flat had been so sterile.  

"Where are we headed?" Somang asked.

"I'm supposed to let you make all of the decisions," Kaelyn said.  "I'm just here to keep you company."

Somang nodded at that and gave the driver directions to a popular shopping centre before falling silent for a bit.

Kaelyn looked comfortable with the silence, one headphone in her ear and her phone going from her pocket.

"How should I address you?" Somang finally asked, the lack of speech driving her a little crazy.

Kaelyn turned her head to look at her and blinked like an owl.

"I'm younger so..." she said, not having thought about the formality of actual drawn out speech.

"Kaelyn-ssi?" Somang asked.

"Somang-ssi?" Kaelyn tried.

Both girls just nodded and went back to the silence, remaining that way until the car pulled over for them to get out.  

Kaelyn got out first and held the door for Somang, saying something to the driver before shutting it.

"He said to just call when we are ready," Kaelyn said, looking around.  "Where to first?"

The shopping center was fairly busy for the time of day, and Kaelyn wished she had medicated before she came.  She knew better than to try and go without it when she left her comfort zone.  Today she was a million miles away and twitching from the nerves of it all.

"Do you know where the trip is to?" Somang asked.

"J.B. oppa said some place warm," Kaelyn said, her face scrunching slightly.

Apparently she didn't like warm places either.  Somang was starting to think perhaps she was a little spoiled.

"So..." Somang was trying to figure out a shopping plan.

"Sunscreen, shorts, skimpy tops, flip flops, and bathing suits," Kaelyn said, ticking a list off in her head.  "Various skin and hair products...  I always buy new towels."

Somang nodded at that.

"Anything you need, Kaelyn-ssi?" she asked, trying to be considerate.

"Just towels, I think...  Some cooling packs maybe?"  Kaelyn had ordered the cooling items she had needed on line and they were set to arrive in the next few days, but some for her carry on might not hurt...  "I don't do so well in the heat."

'Definately spoiled,' Somang thought.

Somang refrained from rolling her eyes and nodded, leading the way, not waiting for Kaelyn to follow.  

Most of the day was spent with Somang basically getting a whole new wardrobe and a new line of personal products.  Even though Kaelyn had said that she hated shopping, she had been very kind in assisting Somang with finding the right fit and sizes, running from the racks to the changing rooms several times as Somang rejected some items and requested different ones in their place.  She had also been very helpful in finding items to help with caring for hair that was subjected to lots of chlorine since they both assumed a pool would be somewhere.

"Do you have a bathing suit Kaelyn-ssi?" Somang asked as they were checking out of the last store of the day, Marks card well used and abused.

Kaelyn just shook her head.

"I don't swim."

Not she couldn't, or she didn't know how.  She just...didn't.  What exactly was she going to do on vacation?  Sunbathe?  Make everyone miserable if she got hot?  Somang was starting to wonder if they would survive the trip. 

* * *

Once they were settled, Kaelyn called the car and helped Somang with her bags, loading everything into the trunk and even helping her to her door when they arrived at Somangs flat.

"Mark said to just hang on to his card until he comes for you," Kaelyn said when they were finally done.  "I guess it's his security?"

Somang just nodded, more than ready to bid the strange girl goodnight.

Once Kaelyn had pulled away, Somang closed the door and let out a sigh before texting Mark, thanking him for the day. 

* * *

The next several days were spent packing and making sure all of her affairs were settled, and work reallocated so that she could just enjoy herself, and her time with her newly reunited friend...and possibly all of his friends too.

The morning of the trip a car arrived to pick her up at 4am and she thanked every god there was that it was Mark in the car and not Kaelyn.

"Ready to go, Babygirl?" he asked as he helped load her stuff in the trunk.

"Think so," she said with a small smile.  "Still don't know where we are going?" she asked.

"No," Mark said with a small laugh.  "Guess we find out when we board the plane."

Somang nodded and climbed in through the door Mark was holding.

"Excited?" he asked.

"I think so," she said.  "Little worried about Kaelyn if we're being honest.  She only bought towels and ice packs, and said she hated the heat so...  Won't she be miserable?  I mean...she had on a sweatsuit.  Does she own anything else?"

Mark nodded and shifted in his seat.

"Kaelyns fine," he said.  "Once you get to know her she's pretty amazing.  She didn't even fight Jaebumah when he asked her to go.  She just did her thing and made it happen."

Somang nodded, looking at Mark a little weird.  She found Kaelyn to be overly spoiled and wondered why he was supporting such behavior when he never had before.  Was it because of the accident he had spoken of?  

"Whatever you say," she said, sounding unsure.

Mark just smiled, and soon enough they were at the airport unloading, hoods of their jackets up, faces covered, rushing in a game of grab, duck, and run.  Thankfully they were lead into a VIP waiting room and once the other hooded and masked figures arrived, they were given a brief run down of the rules (don't break anything, don't kill anyone, don't forget your manners, relax, have fun), and their plane tickets to, of all places, Hawaii.  This was going to be HEAVEN!


	7. Chapter 7

Somang identified the blobs around the room as best she could.  Kaelyn appeared to be sleeping on JB, who was sitting next to Jackson having a whispered conversation.  Jinyoung was curled up in a chair sleeping.  Youngjae was sitting next to what she assumed was his friend while BamBam was chattering away with a very pretty girl who Somang assumed was his sister.  Mark was speaking with what must be the manager and Gyeom was forehead to forehead with his travel buddy laughing and staring at a phone screen.  Deciding to have a seat herself, Somang curled up in an empty chair by the door and listened to the sounds of everyone around her while they waited for their flight.  Several minutes later the door open and a member of security stepped in and asked for Kaelyn.  The whole room went silent as various looks crossed the faces of all of the occupants, looks of pity and concern coming from the members of GOT7.  Somang noticed how Jackson briefly took Kaelyns hand and how JB softly kissed her cheek and wondered what she was missing.

"Kaelyn can't do metal detectors," Mark said softly as he sat on the arm of the chair Somang was in like that explained it all.

All Somang could do was nod. 

* * *

When first class boarding was called everyone in the room stood up and made their way to the terminal, handing their tickets to the stewardess and quickly boarding only to find Kaelyn already seated next to one of the windows, her hoodie off and serving as her pillow leaving her in her trademark sweatpants and a matching long sleeved shirt.  JB went and joined her immediately, everyone else sitting here and there.

"Window or aisle?" Mark asked, looking at Somang.

"Window," Somang decided, knowing if she needed to switch Mark would.

"Will you be okay on such a long flight?" he asked, knowing she had suffered with pain for years.

Somang just nodded.

"We fly straight through to the mainland," he said as he sat.  "We only have to take a short plane ride to our final destination once we land, so only one more security check,"

Somang nodded again, not really thinking about anything as she barely processed Marks words.

At some point she fell asleep but Mark was quick to wake her when she started to twitch from her nightmare and she spent the rest of the flight engaged in pointless conversation with him just to keep sleep at bay.

"We'll be landing soon," Mark said in a lull in their conversation.  "If you want to change.  It's supposed to be like 90."

"I'll be fine," she said, deciding her jeans and long sleeve shirt would not be too bad.

When they disembarked from the plane however, she wished that she had changed, but they found themselves piledriving through customs and running from one end of the airport to the other (literally) to catch their connecting flight.  As soon as they were in the air Somang did take the chance to change, as did a few other members of their crew, and in 45 minutes they were landing on a smaller tarmac and once again disembarking, this time getting onto a waiting passenger van which ushered them to their final destination.

It was heaven.

Once everyone had picked their jaws up off the floor and ran through the house screaming like kids in a candy store, rooms were picked, luggage was put away, time was given to freshen up and change, and everyone agreed to meet back in the kitchen to decide on dinner and to divy up chores which would include shopping, cooking, and cleaning.  Because everyone was tired, and because no one had been to such a place before they all agreed just for tonight to eat out and meet at the grocery to shop together.  As such the night was passed in cliques and groups, but was very relaxing.

When Somang woke the next morning, her nightmares had been on the calmer end, and her pain was at a fairly tolerable 6, and so she rose, washed off, changed clothes and walked in to the kitchen to find Kaelyn already dressed, her hair up, and various items of breakfast on the stove.

"Good morning, Somang-ssi," she greeted, a bright smile on her face.  "I made fresh coffee if you want some?  Or there is orange juice and milk.  And breakfast is almost done.  I didn't know what everyone would want, so I just made a little of everything and there is rice in the rice cooker."

This Kaelyn was such a stark contrast to the one from even the day before that Somang was afraid she would get whiplash.  She really had no idea what was with the girl.

Shaking her head with a small smile she rose and helped herself to the fresh coffee.

"Are we the only ones up?" Somang asked.

"I couldn't sleep," Kaelyn said as she turned off the stove and grabbed a water from the fridge.  "And J.B. was asleep when I checked in on him.  Everyone else stayed up very late so they will probably sleep late.  I was just banking on breakfast luring them out of the bed so their day isn't wasted and they regret it later.  Have any plans for the day?"

Somang looked in to her coffee cup as she considered it.

"I'll probably explore the house a bit more, check out the pool.  You?" she asked out of manners.

"I think Jacksonah said some evil word like gym," Kaelyn said.  "Which means he expects me front and center cause he hates working out alone.  But there is no way the boys won't be in the pool by this evening, so I'll probably just hang around here.  It's supposed to be unbearably hot today."

Somang nodded at that and was about to speak again when she heard someone padding down the hall and turned to see Mark, half awake and feeling himself down the wall.

"Morning, sleepyhead," Kaelyn said with a smile to Mark.

"Morning Kae," he said with a sleepy grin.  "Morning, Babygirl," he said, giving Somang a wink.  "Did you sleep well?"

Somang gave a non commital shrug.  It could have been better, but it could have been a whole lot worse.

"Plans for the day ladies?" he asked as he grabbed some coffee and sat.

"Gym and a/c," Kaelyn said.

"I think I want to explore a little," Somang said.

"Mind if I join you?" Mark asked, looking at her.

Somang just gave another shrug. 

* * *

Once breakfast was finished for them Somang and Mark got dressed and went on their way to explore just as the others seemed to be rising for the day.

Once again she and Mark talked about everything and nothing at all, and as they found a little trail to take that seemed to lead to a secluded beach, Mark took her hand, and she felt a slight shock run through her.  It was nice... 

* * *

Just as the sun was setting and Mark and Somang were headed back to the house to check on the others her phone dinged.  Pulling it out to check the caller i.d. she wished she had never checked at all.  Trying to stay as calm as possible Somang rejected the call and blocked the number, only shaking her head when Mark asked if something was wrong.  

She tried to be social when she got back to the house, but her heart was not in it, and so she excused herself early, using jet lag as a reason, retreating to her room, and eventually falling into a restless sleep.

She woke in a disoriented state of mind just as the knife slashed her throat, and in her fever induced haze she swore she heard Mark calling to her but...Mark wasn't here.  She hadn't seen him in years.  Not since...

"Somang!" Mark called, picking her up off of the floor and pulling her close, holding her arms by her side so that she wouldn't hurt herself.  "Babygirl! Babygirl!"

Everyone had woken at the blood curdling scream and the crash from Somangs room and had come running.  BamBam was trying to calm his sister down and get her back to her room.  Jackson was crouched by Mark, ready to help.  Gyeom, Youngjae, and their friends were gathered in the hallway peaking in.  Jinyoung had been sent for a cold washcloth and Jaebum was picking up the covers off the floor.

"She's burning up, Mark," Kaelyn said softly as she felt the girls forehead.  "You need something to break the fever."

"Start the shower," Mark said.

"That won't help," Kaelyn said, shaking her head.

"Jackson will you get the first aid kit from my room and a bottle of water from the fridge?" she asked.  "She can have my bed for the night.  It'll keep her cool."

"Kaelyn!" Jaebum said, stopping what he was doing and looking at her.  "It's too hot for that!"

"A shower will only keep her cool while she is in it, and then her clothes and hair will be wet and she will get even sicker.  I'll be fine."

Every knowing eye in the room looked at Kaelyn like they wanted to object.  It was humid in Hawaii and the house had no real a/c.  It had small window units and fans throughout, but it was not the cold that Kaelyn required.

"I haven't even turned down the covers Markah," Kaelyn said gently as Jackson arrived.  "Give her these, and a little water, and tuck her in.  I'll hit the couch.  There's a window unit right there and I'll turn on the ceiling fan.  We'll be okay."

Mark gave her one last glance before giving Somang the medicine and hoisting her up, carrying her to Kaelyn's room and putting her in the bed there, being sure to tuck her in to the cool sheets that were there.  Pulling up a chair, he kicked his feet on the bed, and watched over her until the next morning. 

* * *

When Somang woke she was uncomfortably warm, but cooler than she had expected.  Her throat felt like it was on fire, and she desperately wanted a shower, but as her eyes adjusted she realized she most definately was not in her room, and she was also not alone.  As her eyes settled on Mark, her mind drifted to the night before and she groaned as she remembered the nightmare she had had.  She had obviously woken up half of the house, and someone had been booted from their room for reasons she did not know, and now she felt terrible.

"You okay?" Mark asked from her side, his eyes now open.

"Ugh," Somang said.  "How bad was it?"

Mark sat up and sighed.

"I've never seen any of us move that fast," he said.  "I couldn't even get you to wake up.  You were burning up.  All of us were scared."

"Where am I?" she asked.

"Kaelyn's room," Mark said.  "It's the coolest room in the house.  We couldn't figure out how else to cool you down so she told me to put you in here.  I hope you don't mind.  It was that or a freezing shower."

Somang nodded.  

"That was nice of her," she said.  "Where is she now?"

Mark's face scrunched up.

"I dunno," he said.  "She said she would crash in the living room, but I haven't checked.  I'm sure she's fine tho.  You need any help getting up or anything?"

Somang shook her head.

"Go check on Kaelyn.  Tell her I'm sorry for kicking her out of her room.  I'm going to go take a shower.  I guess I have some explaining to do."

"You sure?" Mark asked, looking concerned.

"Yeah.  I'll be out in a few."

With one more look and a nod, Mark got up and departed, and Somang buried her face in her hands.


	8. Chapter 8

Kaelyn had slept for a few hours before the humidity got too much and her right side started to warm.  For the next hour or so it wasn't unbearable, but by the time 4am rolled around Kaelyn was on fire and she found herself rummaging in the ice box for an unused ice pack.  By 4:30 she had submerged as much of her body as she could in the outdoor pool hoping the water would offer some relief.  When that didn't work she hopped out and sat on a lounge chair.  At 5 Jackson was up and on the ground beside her, doing his best to offer some relief.

"You didn't have to give up your bed, Sweets," Jackson said softly as Kaelyn laid back against the chair, her eyes closed in her own discomfort.

"It was the fastest way to cool her down," she said softly.

"And now you are left to suffer, Jackson ground out.  "Where is he?"

"Sleeping," Kaelyn said, knowing who her friend was referring to.

Jackson snorted and shook his head.

"He should be out here helping you."

Kaelyn smiled softly.

"And you should be sleeping," she said, opening her eyes to look at the man before her.  "I'll be fine, and when everyone wakes I'll figure something out and go back to bed."

"How are you going to sleep without your cooling packs?" Jackson asked.

"I'll take an ice cold shower and go to bed with my clothes on," she joked.

"Kaelyn!" Jackson barked.

"Oppa!" Kaelyn said, her eyes going sad and her brows drawing.  "Don't be like that!  It's only for one night!  I'll be okay!  Somang-ssi looked really sick and Markah was worried!  He even stayed in my room with her.  It isn't right of me to be so selfish after everything he has done for me!"

"When will you start taking care of yourself?" Jackson asked softly.

"As soon as my children are grown and married with children of their own," Kaelyn said with a smirk.

"Kaelyn!" Jackson reprimanded again.

"Jackson." Kaelyn said.  "I  _am_  taking care of myself.  But I cannot live in a glass cage forever.  I have to leave home one day.  This will never get better.  It will only ever be tolerable.  Today is just a little less tolerable than the day before, and much more tolerable than tomorrow will be.  The more you take care of yourself, the better I will be able to take care of myself."

"J.B. should be taking care of you," Jackson said.  "He promised that he would."

Kaelyn smiled, giving the man before her a soft and affectionate look. 

"J.B. takes better care of me than I deserve," she said sadly.  "And one day he will see, and he'll walk away again, and it will be okay.  I'll go back to the way things were before and..."

"Kaelyn you CAN'T!" Jackson said.  "That life is over for you!  Who is going to hire you?"

Kaelyn tried not to flinch at the verbal slap.

"I'm sure with all of the work I put in I could walk away with a letter of recommendation," she said softly as she looked at her hands.  "I'm sure someone, somewhere needs an old washed up stylist or...manager or...instructor.  I can still do that."

"But who will take care of you?" Jackson asked, trying to catch Kaelyns eye.

"I'm a big girl now," she said, although it sounded like she was trying to convince herself.  "I can take care of myself."

The unspoken 'I don't have anyone else', was heard loud and clear.

"You have me," Jackson said.

"I won't be the reason GOT7 parts ways."

"J.B. will," Jackson said.  "If he does that to you again...none of us will let him stay."

"Jackson DON'T!"  Kaelyn said, her voice rough.  "Just...let it go.  If he doesn't want to be with me...don't force him to regret that decision.  Live happily and let him do the same.  I'll be okay.  When have I ever not been?"

"Kae..." Jackson started.

"I'm tired," Kaelyn said.  "I'm gonna try and get some sleep.  I suggest you do the same."

* * *

Kaelyn stayed where she was, her mind going completely blank as she tried to shut off her emotions.  Jackson's words had only made her fears come alive, and the greatest fear she had ever known, looked like it was coming true again.  She was facing being alone.

"Kaelyn?" Mark called from the back door.

Kaelyn slowly looked up, giving Mark a sad smile as she came back to herself.

"How is she?" she asked, trying to brighten up her tone.

"What happened?" Mark asked.

"Just tired," Kaelyn said with a shake of her head.  "How is Somang-ssi?"

"Awake," Mark said.  "She said she was going to shower, and that you didn't have to give up your room."

"Good," Kaelyn said.

"What's wrong?" Mark said again, tilting his head to one side.

"It's almost time for the seasons to change," Kaelyn said.

Mark would have asked what she meant, but Kaelyn always had a cryptic way of speaking, and slowly the guys had all learned how to speak it.

"Did Jaebumah say something to you?" he asked, his tone stiff.

"No," Kaelyn said with a smile as she looked at her hands again and adjusted her sleeves.

"Where is he?" Mark asked again.

"He's sleeping, I guess.  I haven't seen him since we left from Somang-ssi's room."

"Did he not check on you?" Mark asked, his tone still off.

"Jackson oppa did," Kaelyn said as if that made it better.

"Did J.B.?" Mark asked again.

Kaelyn just shook her head.

"He's tired, Markah.  That's all.  He'll...he'll come around in a few days.  He just...needs a little rest."

* * *

Once Somang showered she came to the kitchen where Mark had made some coffee.

"What's wrong?" she asked him as she poured a mug and followed Marks line of sight to Kaelyn still sitting on the porch, lost in the places only her mind went.

'I think they got in to a fight," Mark said.  "Her and J.B.  But...Kaelyn is loyal to a fault.  She would absorb the blame even if they did."

"Do they fight all the time?" Somang asked in surprise.  She had always imagined J.B. to be a sort of squishy, perfect boyfriend.

Mark shook his head and breathed deep.

"No.  It's just...different the second time around, you know?"

"Awkward?" Somang asked.

"All the time," Mark said, but didn't elaborate any further.  

Somang wanted to ask why but she also reasoned that perhaps it wasn't anyones story to tell but Kaelyn and J.B.'s.

"Has anyone talked to her this morning?" she asked.

"She said Jackson did," Mark said.  "But I'm not sure what he said to have her so down."

"Maybe I should try?" Somang suggested.  "I mean...I need to thank her for...last night."

Mark chewed his lip in thought.

"Kaelyn has a lot of baggage," he said carefully.  "And she's really good about not pawning it off on others so...don't be offended if she doesn't get all touchy feely."

"Thank god for no icky feels," Somang said, trying to crack a joke to get over how similar she sounded to Kaelyn.

Finishing her coffee and heaving a sigh, Somang put her cup in the sink and walked out the back door and up to where Kaelyn sat.

"Wanna talk?" she asked as she sat down.

"Somang-ssi!" Kaelyn said, plastering on a semi convincing fake smile.  "Are you feeling better?"

She sounded sincere but something was definately off.

"A little," Somang conceded.  "But you didn't have to give up your bed."

"Did it keep you cool?" Kaelyn asked, to which Somang nodded.

"Did you get any sleep?" she asked the girl.

Kaelyn only nodded, deciding elaboration was not needed.

"Are you hungry?" Somang asked.  "I was just about to cook..."

"Breakfast and I don't get alone," Kaelyn said, shaking her head.

"Me either," Somang said. "Feel like a walk?"

"Are you well enough?" Kaelyn asked, sounding genuinely concerned.

"We won't go far," Somang said.

"I need to change," Kaelyn said.  "And...wash up probably."

"That's fine," Somang said.  "Leave after breakfast then?"

Kaelyn gave Somang a soft smile and nodded.

"Thank you," she said softly before rising and walking in the house, deciding maybe one new ally wouldn't be so bad.


	9. Chapter 9

Retreating to her room Kaelyn ran a cool sink of water, washing off with a fresh cloth before going to her suitcase and rummaging through her various items of clothing in a desperate attempt to find the most concealing thing she had packed that would not burn her alive.  Heaving a sigh, she decided on a pair of her black compression leggings and one of her custom black tanks with a full sleeve sown in to her right side.  

"Always black," she said to herself in the mirror with a frown.

Shaking her head, Kaelyn took her outfit off and dug out a shimmery silver pair of the same style leggings and a long sleeved wetsuit top.

Looking at herself again Kaelyn pulled her hair up, put on concealer to hide the evidence of her mostly sleepless night, grabbed her chapstick, slipped on her silver Shox, and pointedly ignored the soft buzzing that was starting to become audible to her ears.  Checking her bed she noticed that someone had slipped in and taken away the ice packs.  Jackson was really going to have to stop caring for her.  Checking herself once more, Kaelyn exited the room and went to find Somang.

* * *

Somang was not as self conscious as Kaelyn on the outside, and so her outfit was a little more appropriate.  Choosing a pair of shorts and a tank top, Somang threw her hair on top of her head to combat the humidity, concealed her own sleepless night with a bit of makeup, slipped on some flip flops, and headed out the door.  She found Kaelyn shutting the door to someones room quietly, and stopped, waiting to be acknowledged.

"Ready?" Kaelyn asked when she saw the girl, a smile forcing it's way on to her face, but not to her eyes.

"Where do you want to go?" Somang asked.

"I want to go looking for seashells," Kaelyn said.  "I promised to bring some back when we went home."

"To the beach?" Somang asked.

"To the beach," Kaelyn said with a small smile.

Kaelyn led the way as she had already scouted for where she wanted to go, and as the walk commenced her and Somang talked about things like the weather, how nice the vacation was, how happy everyone seemed to be, how well everyone got along, and what they were planning to do for dinner.

"Can I ask...how you met Mark?" Kaelyn asked as the beach came in to view, hoping she wasn't being impolite.

"Did Mark not tell you?" Somang asked in surprise.

"He did," Kaelyn admitted.  "But it sounded like such a fairy tale that none of us were sure.  He said he saw an angel standing on the beach and he knew she was the one."

Somang blushed at that but laughed, confirming the story was true.

"How did you meet Jaebum-ssi?" She asked Kaelyn.

Kaelyn got a soft smile on her face as her eyes seemed to go distant.

"We attended the same dance school," she said.

"He couldn't accept the fact that a girl danced better than he did.  He insisted I meet with him for weeks for a one on one battle and...after a while our animosity to one another turned in to friendship and then...here we are now."

"How did you end up in Korea?" Somang asked, thinking after the fact she might have come off a little rude.

"My father worked for a production studio in the states and when they expanded he was in charge of setting up operations here so...we all just moved and..."  Kaelyn took a deep breath and let it out slowly before continuing.  "After...everything...I had no family left anywhere to move back to so..."

Somang could see that that was a nightmare inducing topic and so she let it go, moving on to lighter conversation about favorite foods, and groups, and clothes and things.

The two of them passed the day with light chatter and occasional exclamations of excitement as they found pretty shells and rocks in various areas of the beach.  

When the sun started to set the girls gathered on the sand, laying out their haul and deciding what to keep and what to discard.

"We should have brought a bag," Kaelyn joked as she picked a rock here and a shell there.  "We'll never get all this back."

"We could hide it for tomorrow?" Somang suggested.

Kaelyn smiled at that and gathered as many of the items as she could in her hands, walking towards the dunes and making a hole to bury items in.

"Think they will be here when we come back?" she asked, looking at Somang.

Somang dropped beside her to help make the hole a little bigger so she could add her haul as well.

"I guess that will be something to look forward to finding out, won't it?" she asked.  "We should bring the others here tomorrow too.  I think they would enjoy it."

"Me too," Kaelyn said as she stood, brushing her hands on her pants.  "Ready to go?"

Somang looked around once more before nodding.

"Think anyone missed us?" she asked the girl next to her.

"I think everyone slept and played Overwatch," Kaelyn said with a laugh.

Somang smiled at that, a soft laugh escaping her.

"Think so?" she asked.

Kaelyn just smiled back before starting to climb up the rocks to the road back home.  

"Looks like it's gonna storm," she said when they were half way back up, the sky starting to fill with clouds and the wind blowing just a bit stronger.  "We should hurry."

Somang nodded her agreement and tried to climb faster, but just as she reached for a higher rock a rouge wave crashed against the ledge they were on, the force knocking her free as she fell back towards the ocean.

Kaelyn had heard Somang scream, and as she watched in slow motion, her body overrid her brain and started climbing back towards the water in a bid to save the girl.

Somang hit the water like a thousand knives, and pain blossomed in her head as she hit what she assumed was a rock.  The fall had left her disoriented and she was unable to tell which way the surface was due to the motion of the water.  She had only barely been able to draw in air, and she knew she was in trouble when out of nowhere an arm wrapped around her waist and pulled with all it's might, seemingly on a mission to help.  Several moments later she was breaking the surface to see Kaelyn in the water, her expression strained.

"You have to swim," she ground out.  "I can't..."

Only now did Somang realize that Kaelyn was in distress too.  Had she been swept off the rocks as well?

"Get yourself to shore.  I'll be right behind you."

Somang nodded in confusion and swam the best she could through the pain in her head, dragging herself on to the sand and waiting for Kaelyn to join her.  Several long moments later Kaelyn was pulling herself up the beach, one side of her body completely immobile.

"Jackson..." She hissed out as she pulled herself up onto her knees and curled in on herself.  "Get...go get him..."

Somang was confused.  Kaelyn didn't look hurt, but her body was steaming.  It wasn't even cold.  And somewhere in the distance...machinery was humming.

"Kae..."

"Please!" Kaelyn hissed.  "Don't...don't let Jaebum oppa come...please..."

Somang just nodded, a little scared of the sight before her before pulling herself up, still unsure about leaving Kaelyn, but trusting the girl to know what she needed.  She didn't think she would be able to help the girl back to the home anyway in their given states.  Somangs head was on fire and she could feel the blood dripping down her face.

Climbing the rocks as quickly as she could, Somang ran the few minutes up the road, cursing herself for giving up exercise.  As the house came in to view she noticed that almost everyone was out front playing soccer, and inside she groaned.  When they saw the figure running they stopped, and after a moment Jackson and Mark came running to her realizing something was wrong.

"Somang!" Mark exclaimed when he saw her.  "What...what happened?" he asked, his hand hovering above her head.

"I'll get the first aid kit," Jackson said, turning to go in the house.

"Kaelyn-ssi..." Somang said as she tried to catch her breath.

"What about her?" Mark asked.

"She's..."

"Where is she?" Jackson asked, his tone slightly panicked.

"The beach," Somang said.

"What happened?" Mark asked as the rest of the crew came up around them.

"I fell," Somang said.  "I think there's something...steam..."

Somang's head was getting foggy and she barely realized it when Jackson and J.B. took off running for their lives, or when she collapsed and Mark caught her.

"No you don't, Babygirl," Mark said, a scared laugh escaping him.  "You can't go to sleep.  We need to get you cleaned up.  Why are you wet?" he asked.  "How did you hurt your head?"

Somang blinked a few times as she tried to process the noise in her ear, and only barely registered being picked up bridal style and being carried somewhere.

"We'll get your head cleaned up, and get you some fresh clothes, okay?" Mark asked.  "Do you think you can wash off on your own?  Babygirl?"

Somang blankly nodded and felt herself being sat on a counter, and some more noise, and Mark leave before coming back.

"I'm going to have to get your clothes off Babygirl, so I'll take you to the bathroom, okay?  Do you want a hot shower?"

Somang nodded again, shook her head, decided that was a mistake, and when she heard screaming coming from the outside something in her seemed to snap to like a rubberband and suddenly her senses came back to her.

"Kaelyn-ssi?" she asked.  "Where is she?"  Somang was almost panicked.  "Where is J.B.?"

_'Please...don't let Jaebum oppa come...'_

"He went with Jackson to check on Kaelyn," Mark said.  "Why?"

_'Shit,'_  Somang thought, sliding off of the counter and stumbling to make her way to the voices.

* * *

Out on the law Jackson and J.B. were huddled over something lying on the grass.  Jackson was barking orders and J.B. looked empty and lost.

"Someone get J.B. out of here!" Jackson shouted as his hands started ripping fabric.  "And get me water..."

Jackson seemed to be fiercely working, and Somang heard the same buzzing of machinery before Jackson let out a growl and picked Kaelyn up, her body like a rag doll.

"Someone get me a shower running," Jackson ordered instead.

The people on the law seemed to be waking up and running, Jinyoung and Mark grabbing J.B. and pulling him to his feet, BamBam comforting his sister once again, and Youngjae getting Gyeom and their friends inside.

"Take J.B. inside Jinyoung," Mark said quietly.  "Hit him if you have to.  But don't let him in Kaelyn's room.  I have to help Somang."

Jinyoung nodded solemnly.

"Yes, hyung," he said.

Mark came back over to Somang.

"We need to get you cleaned up," he said, his voice a bit more forceful.

"Kae..."

"Got wet," Mark said.  "She'll be okay.  Jackson has her."

Somang just nodded and allowed Mark to gently pull her into the house where he helped her into a warm shower, sitting on the toilet with his eyes closed just in case.  As soon as she had her body washed and a towel wrapped around her Mark helped her wash her hair out in the sink and then sat her on the toilet while he cleaned her wound and examined it.

"I don't think it needs stitches, but you should try and keep it clean til it starts to heal.  I can try to find a doctor?"

Somang just shook her head.  The house was eerily quiet.

"Where is she?" she asked.

"Jackson has Kaelyn if that is who you mean." Mark said.

"What happened?" she asked again.

"Kaelyn got wet.  I need to go check on J.B.-ah.  Will you be okay?"

Somang was hurt at the harsh tone Mark was putting out and just nodded, hanging her head til she got her emotions back in check.

* * *

Once Mark had left Somang hauled herself off of the toilet and crept down the hall to Kaelyns room where the door was slightly ajar.  She saw Kaelyn laid in her bed, the blankets pulled to her chest, her arms by her sides, and Jackson sitting in a chair holding one of her hands.

"Are you okay Somang-ssi?" he asked softly, turning his head slightly.

Somang jumped at being recognized.

"Yes...thank you," she said softly.

"You can come in," he said.  "I know you are probably worried."

Somang hesitated for a moment before pushing in and shutting  the door behind her.

"What happened?' she asked as her eyes raked over Kaelyn, a gasp escaping her as she noticed Kaelyn's right arm.  It wasn't an arm at all.  It was a machine...


	10. Chapter 10

Suddenly Somang almost understood the long sleeves and custom shirts.  Metal started at Kaelyns collarbone, and continued to wrap around her shoulder.  The prosthetic arm seemed to be attached to the metal housing on her body, and extended for the entire length of her appendage, ending in what looked like her original hand.  It was...  Somang wasn't sure yet what it was.

"Kaelyn said you hit your head," Jackson said, looking at Somang.  "That a wave knocked you into the ocean."

Somang just nodded as her brows furrowed.

"Chlorine and salt damage the pieces," Jackson said.  "And if it gets too hot...her prosthetics overheat and then she overheats.  What you saw...it was all of that in one.  I'm sorry if it scared you..."

Somang nodded as she tried to process.

"I'm sure Kaelyn will apologize as well when she wakes up.  She was upset with herself that you had to see that.  She really thinks a lot of you for giving Mark a chance," Jackson said softly.

"When..." Somang asked.

"Probably tomorrow," Jackson said.  "I had to give her a pretty strong dose of medication to get her body to stop.  She's usually out a solid 12 when she takes her muscle relaxer and nerve medication at the same time."

"Does...she do that often?" Somang asked.

"No," Jackson said.  "Only when she reaches delirium and one of us forces it down her."

"Oh..." Somang said as she unconsciously sank into the other chair by Kaelyns bed.

"How..."

"Her arm?" Jackson asked.

Somang nodded, unable to tell why she was suddenly so emotional.

"The accident," he said softly as he looked at Kaelyn.  "When the car took the nosedive off the overpass she was ejected and when everything was said and done..."

"The car had her pinned for almost two hours.  By the time they cut her out..."

Somang could see how hard it was for Jackson to talk about it.

"I'm sorry," she said.  "She's lucky to have such a good friend as you..."

Jackson's face was unreadable but his eyes held a raging storm.

"Has anyone checked on Jaebum hyung?" he asked, his tone slightly hostile.

Somang was about to ask why and then it stupidly hit her.  This was the awkward thing between the two.

"I think Mark went," she said softly.

Jackson nodded and let go of Kaelyn's hand, looking at her a moment longer before standing.

"I think I need to go check on him as well," he said.  "You can stay in here if you want."

* * *

Somang did stay for a moment longer before getting up and departing for the living room where everyone was gathered, whispering amongst themselves until she walked in and an awkward silence took over.  Only Jackson and J.B. were missing.

"How are you feeling?" Mark asked, his expression worn.  "You hungry?"

Somang just shook her head as she took in all of the faces there.

"How is Kaelyn noona?" Bam Bam asked, looking slightly worried.

"I...  She's sleeping," Somang said.  "Jackson said...he knocked her out..."

"Wi---" Jinyoung started before being interrupted by a loud crash and what sounded like a fight in full force.

"Shit!" Mark said, turning towards where the sound was coming from.

"Damn!" Bam Bam breathed.

Before there was any further thought the rest of GOT7 was running for the commotion, the rest of the guests following in morbid curiosity. 

Jackson had JB on the ground in the kitchen wailing on him as hard and fast as he could, his face red with the anger that had been slowly burning inside.

“BASTARD!” he shouted as he landed a punch to JBs jaw.  “WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO HER!!!  SHE HASN’T DONE ANYTHING TO YOU!!!”

JB was feebly trying to defend himself, but Jackson had always been stronger.

“SHE LOVES YOU!” Jackson screamed, throwing himself off of his hyung and landing on his knees in defeat as something seemed to click.  “She loves you…”

JB laid there for a moment looking at the ceiling before gently rubbing his jaw, his face otherwise set.

The crowd just continued to watch on, the rest of the boys secretly thinking their leader deserved everything he had got.  If it had been the appropriate place they would have evened up on the bets they had made on how long it would take Jackson to snap.

“Jinyoung, get the first aid kit,” Mark finally ground out.  “Jackson, go wash your hands.  I’ll take care of Jaebumie.”

JB shot daggers at Mark for the name but made no other move or verbal statement against it as the crowds cleared out and went back to what they were doing.

“Somang, would you get me some ice please?” Mark asked softly as he pulled JB up with a harsh jerk, shoving him into a chair and starting to look him over.

Somang immediately complied, handing Mark a compress before bolting out of the room, even more confused by everything she had witnessed.


End file.
